Central Tehran IAU Signs MoU with University of Bergamo

The Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran branch, has signed a cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Bergamo in Italy.

According to an ISCA report, the acting administrator of Central Tehran IAU, Dr. Ahmad Shams was accompanied by IAU educational deputy, Dr. Farhad Hosseinzadeh Lotfi, and other IAU officials in a four day visit to Italy, to talk with officials of Bergamo, Milan and Turin Polytechnic universities.

Dr. Shams stated that in line with the IAU qualitative development policy, as the largest IAU unit, Central Tehran branch will be the university's direct contact point with Italian universities.

He noted that following the academic cooperation MoU signed with Polytechnic University of Milan in the fields of engineering, architecture and urbanism, cooperation with University of Bergamo was placed on the IAU agenda.

The University of Bergamo is a State University with about 16,000 students (undergraduates and graduates), and more than 300 PhD students. The number of students is increasing each year, with a 7% growth rate per year between 2001 and 2011. A staff of 656 members (331 professors & researchers, 95 assisting academic staff, 230 administrative and technical staff) provides a dynamic scientific and teaching environment which is open to innovation.

Dr Lotfi noted that the university cooperates in different fields with various partners including Harvard, Berlin, Russia, Heidelberg, Georgia Tech, Paris, and Indiana universities.

The IAU educational deputy spoke of the content of the signed MoU and said that mutual collaboration in research and education, student admission, and also holding degree and nondegree programs are some of the issues mentioned in this document.

Suitable conditions for Bergamo University faculty members to participate and teach in IAU programs, admitting IAU faculty members to study post-doctoral courses in Bergamo University, and cooperating in holding short-term programs and granting academic certificates were discussed in this meeting.